_aalchemist.

Of course she knew. There was no soul amongst members of staff who were not aware- but far as she knew, many vouched for Remus Lupin. Both the headmaster and Minerva were considering him a good choice, but after the last two fiascos… one couldn’t but consider even Severus’s words at such a time.

What are you implying, Severus? almost escaped her lips, but she held her tongue, instead taking a step forward. Instead of a fruitless search, the nigh delved into heavy accusations.

“Do go on.“ was the whisper that came instead. She did not know, of course- but this seemed like crucial information. Why hasn’t anyone else mentioned such a connection between them?

HE WAS NOT SURPRISED   _{that sort of information hadn’t yet surfaced.  if lupin was so well-intentioned, wouldn’t he come forward to the staff.   something was rotten in the state of denmark & only severus seemed to realize it.  that was his chance.}

                                  _{‘ they were like hand & glove back in the day. ’   he grimaced at the memory, lips twisted into a snarl.  in a way, whenever snape was reminded of the duo & james potter laughing after whatever silly prank they managed to pull on some poor bastard, it only seemed more likely that not even black’s incarceration would not cut their ties.  severus tilted his head to the side & raised an eyebrow.      ‘ people say some things never change   —-  this could be one of those situations.  besides, if anyone knows ways in & out of the castle, it’s the two of them. ’}

_aalchemist.

Whilst he was certainly aware- or guessing who it was, Bathsheba was at a loss. Speaking only her mind, she could not pinpoint a single professor that fit the description of someone that could help Sirius Black. Stopping in turn, she wrapped the falling shawl better around her shoulders, arms crossing. His words were oddly phrased, eliciting a frown as a response.

“You seem to have an idea towards who it might be- 

Might I ask, even if it is the smallest inkling, why have you not shared it yet? It could be crucial, or… better than searching through empty classrooms, to pinpoint a person. No?“

EXPRESSION REMAINED IMPASSIBLE   _{—-   but a fire was ignited in his black eyes.  he had waited for that moment for years.  but would she believe him ?  the staff seemed to appreciate their new colleague.  certainly, lupin was talented, & the students hardly ever had something negative to say about his methods.  no one in that castle, however, knew the professor like severus did.}

                           _{‘ you know that i have been against accepting lupin into the faculty of this school ever since dumbledore first announced he’d do such thing. ’   he began slowly, but clearly, as if he’d rehearsed that conversation many times before.   ‘ are you aware that he & black were…  acquainted years ago ? ’}

_{she’s going the “so how does that make you FEEL?” therapy route man the whole 9 yards}

_{sev vc: idk but you make me wish i was dead}

_aalchemist.

@sneypa cont from x

But in her mind, it had everything to do with it. After all, being a professor was not only about sharing the knowledge of one subject. But caring about the wellbeing of the students. Having somewhat of a heart- not only a duty to teach.

Well, at least she cared enough to admit it. And the answer hurt somewhat- hurt her pride. But she refused to completely back down onto the matter.

“But do you care, my dear professor? Has your answer changed from when I first asked you…in the slightest amount at least?“

SO SHE WOULDN’T LET HIM GO WITH THAT ANSWER ALONE.    _{fine.   a long sigh left his thin lips.  of course, snape wouldn’t just hand her an answer  —-  the glare he made sure to shoot her had behind it a blend of dullness & annoyance.} 

                            _{‘ i certainly believe subjecting children to a tournament such as this one is too cruel. ’    the potions master matter-of-factly raises his hand, palms facing up.   ‘ yet, they chose to take part in it, so there isn’t much to be done, is there ? ’}

_aalchemist.

She was quiet for some time as he uttered that. Hogwarts was almost impenetrable, especially by one man- one fugitive, at that. Surely, in all those years spent in Azkaban, he couldn’t have made or kept any good connections.

One man against a whole staff of trained professors? It was almost comical, if there student lives at stake.

“Well now, absurd as it may seem, my dear professor, he must have had help on the inside, wouldn’t you agree? Lest he was just so skilled that he managed it all by himself.“ But then again, she was not around Hogwarts before nor around the time this elusive Sirius Black was arrested. She had no idea who he was, apart from what was heard through word of mouth.

 “But I do not see any professor so eager to endanger students.“

HE FROZE ON HIS TRACKS     _{to shoot her an incredulous look.   she took the words right out of his mouth.   so perhaps others also had the same small voice  ( that to snape, was shouting at that point )  talking in the back of their minds.  so perhaps, when presented convincing evidence, they would get the same suspicion he did.}

                      _{‘ i was thinking just the same. ’   he confessed, putting back on his well-known mask of calmness.   a smart choice of words could be everything in a situation like that.    ‘ maybe not out of a desire to inflict harm…  but sometimes old habits die hard. ’}

_aalchemist.

Indeed, after all the Ministry and Hogwarts put in for his capture, stopping now or letting their guard down would be a mistake, but at the same time, she wondered just how lucky would they be to catch him. Cowering into a corner, that did not sound like a man that escaped Azkaban.

“If anything, more than a classroom, he seems like a man that would enter the Forbidden Forest to rather hide.“ she voiced this time out loud, not knowing if it was more for herself than anything. “The shallows of it, enough not to be traced, not enough to be in danger himself. No?“

THE RESPONSE TO HER CONSIDERATION    _{was limited to the rise of thick dark eyebrows.   for once, he did not bother letting her know his own particular thoughts about black’s brilliance, or better yet, how the fugitive lacked it.}  

                              _{‘ that is more likely, yes.    unfortunately, that also does make it much more difficult to track black. ’      severus could feel frustration tying a knot in his stomach   —-  it was like chasing smoke.   if only he could prove the criminal was getting help from within the castle…   the urge to storm into lupin’s office & point his wand to the werewolf’s throat was a hard beast to tame.     ‘ it beats me, however, how he got in in first place. ’}

_aalchemist.

Shawl wrapped tighter around her shoulders as she shook her head- the nights were starting to get uncomfortably cold, especially this year. Not that they did not know what the cause of it was.

Bathsheba followed him from behind as soon as he passed her, arms crossed as she narrowed her eyes. It was getting darker and darker with each patrol, and this was not a good sign if nothing were to change until winter was to come.

“No, certainly not. Such people- they know how to hide behind a needle’s eye. I would say our chances rely more on his imprudence.“

IMPRUDENCE WOULD BE THE PERFECT WORD    _{to describe black.  that particular trait almost cost severus his life years before, & it is one of the many reasons he wants to see the fugitive to be returned to rot in azkaban.   that selfish desire easily outranked the wish to keep the students safe    —–   which should be something to be terribly ashamed of as an educator, but resentment is a blinding feeling to the potions master.}

                          _{‘ while i do agree with you, black is resourceful.  he got this far ;   putting it all to waste is definitely out of his plans. ’    he says, waving his wand every now & then to open & close doors & shed light on dark corners.   ‘ if he’s cowered into some corner, this is our best chance to finally seize him & hand him over to justice. ’}

                             ‘ have you checked the middle courtyard ? ’     he asks without putting his march on a halt, his cloak rolling behind him like the waves of a black sea.   those evening patrols are beginning to feel like routine   —-  almost as natural as blowing candles before going to bed.   a most dangerous phenomenon that is ;    routine often sweeps little details under the rug & that is something they cannot afford right now.    ‘ we can never be sure. ’     /  @aalchemist   ♡          bury us alive by strfkr

_aalchemist.

“Much to expect and only man available do not make a good pairing, my dear Severus.” He knew it as much as she did. But after what happened last year, she was somewhat surprised even a man as idiotic as Gilderoy Lockhart would accept the job. Unless, of course, he was narcissistic enough to think the jinx would pass him, for one reason or another.

But then again, they could not go on with a Hogwart’s post open, especially one so required, from first to last years. If it were her subject- an elective, it wouldn’t be that much of a loss- after all, she had only one alchemy class for the seventh years at the moment, all four Houses in it. What could they do for DaDA, have each professor teach on a particular week or something else as irrational?

The remark broke her from the reverie, one hand moving to cover her mouth from the side, the other knocking onto the wood of the table- three times, all out of superstition.

 "Why, don’t speak such things even in jeer, my dear professor- or else you might jinx it. And it will have to be us wiping him off the corridors.“

WELL, SHE HAS A POINT,    _{but he is yet to place it on the scales   —-   would it really be worse to fix one of lockhart’s  possible mistakes than having to hear his narcissistic bragging yet another time ?    the holidays could not come soon enough, & that wasn’t even the first day.} 

                            _{‘ my point is, professor, that since our dearest colleague is already here to indulge us with some of his very much sought-after time, why not let him show his skills if the opportunity presents itself ?  we could learn much from such… experience. ’}

_{a different person might have been unable to say that straight-faced, but if it wasn’t for the sardonic raise of severus’s eyebrows following the chanted sarcasm in his smooth voice, one could easily spot earnestness in his words.}

                     _{‘ as long as he doesn’t go out of his way to prove whatever he wants to prove, there won’t be a problem. ’}